First victory for Groenewegen and Unibet Rose Rockets this season, as he beats Paul Magnier after echelon race in Clàssica Valenciana

The Spanish one-day race, officially known as the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana – Gran Premi València, is traditionally held on familiar roads for many riders. The region around Alicante and Valencia is a popular winter training base for numerous WorldTour and ProTeams, meaning many riders were already well acquainted with the terrain.

The race got underway with an early test. After the neutralised section, the peloton immediately tackled the Coll de Rates, albeit from the less familiar side. An early breakaway of three riders formed, featuring Jokin Murguialday (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Samuele Zoccarato (MBH Bank CSB Telecom) and Dutchman Enzo Leijnse (Anicolor/Tien21). Their advantage never grew large, as the peloton kept the situation firmly under control.

Apart from a single crash, all riders survived the climbs in the early stages. With a flat finish, this race would be perfect for the sprinters present. With number 1 on his jersey, Groenewegen would have the best chance. However, the wind would play a major role in the final hour of the race.

After the climbs were out of the way, attention shifted to the wind. In the flat finale, strong crosswinds caused the peloton to split into echelons. Several teams sensed an opportunity and increased the pace, with Unibet Rose Rockets among the most active squads. Thanks to solid teamwork, Groenewegen made it into the front group, together with teammates Elmar Reinders and Rory Townsend.

Paul Magnier also survived the splits for Soudal Quick-Step, supported by Dries Van Gestel, while other fast finishers such as Giovanni Lonardi (Polti Kometa) were present in the reduced lead group. Behind them, the chase never fully came together, allowing the front group to fight it out for victory.

In the final kilometres, Unibet Rose Rockets set up Groenewegen perfectly. The Dutchman launched his sprint at the right moment and proved clearly the strongest, holding off Magnier to take a convincing win. Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies) completed the podium in third place.